Adultery

God’s prohibition of adultery shows His wisdom and mercy. To cheat on one’s spouse is perhaps the greatest act of betrayal possible in human-human relationships, and it is so damaging that the Lord allows the offended spouse to get a divorce in the case of adultery (Matt. 19:1-12). We must do what we can to keep ourselves from falling into adultery. May we avoid situations that make adultery more likely and, by the Holy Spirit, may we love our spouses all our days.
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Positively, question and answer 109 of the Heidelberg Catechism note, the seventh commandment encourages the maintenance and promotion of chastity in marriage and singleness. We should be doing all that we can to prevent a climate in the church and in our homes that may make adultery easy to commit and hide. We must also regularly return to the Bible’s teaching on sexuality so that we can resist the lies about lust and sex that our culture loves to tell us every day.
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In likening idolatry to adultery, the Lord actually gives us a powerful motivation to remain faithful to His covenant. We would never want to go through the pain that would be inflicted upon us if our spouses were to betray us, so how can we even think of grieving our Creator by choosing another deity for a husband? We are doing unto God as we want Him to do unto us when we are faithful to Him alone.
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Western culture presently suffers from a lustful decadence that makes it hard to stand for purity in a way that offers the grace of the gospel to sinners without compromising God’s high standards. As we deal with sexual sinners both within and without the church, may we remember that even they have a place at the Lord’s Table if they trust in Christ Jesus alone, endeavoring to turn from sin and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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John Calvin reminds us that “the bond of marriage is too sacred to be dissolved at the will, or rather at the licentious pleasure, of men.” Many issues can drive spouses to despair and contemplate an unbiblical divorce. That is why we must seek help for our marital troubles at the first sign of trouble. If you need counseling, make an appointment with your pastor today. If you know of another couple who is having problems, encourage them to seek counseling as well.
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Whether we happen to be single or married, this command applies to all of us. We are to avoid anything that could, whether in the present or the future, bring defilement to the marriage bed. Look at your life, and seek to learn how this command applies to you. In prayer ask God to make you obedient to His will for marriage.
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